Lotus

Wouldn't Cahill be available in January? Would be a good investment as far as the squad goes.

I agree, but it's still pretty bad luck to have three of your best CBs injured at the same time. Not many squads could cope with that without difficulty. Anyone would struggle. I would be surprised though if our Board decided to invest just because a player will be out for the rest of the season. I don't think they would class such a signing as being 'value for money'.

He's not very young. I hope he comes good, obviously. But right now he looks every inch a cast off who was only valued at £3M because Manu had him. Routledge offered more than this fella. Pards seems quite good at bringing players on though and this guy may need a season to grow into it. He lacks heart though and that will always make him inconsistent at best.

I suppose Ben Arfa is injured because i can't think which f**king alternative universe exists where by someone takes off Ben Arfa but keeps Lovenkrands on. I must also assume Santon is crocked because if he's that turbosh1t that Raylor stayed on the pitch instead of him we've really signed a dud there, like.

Anyone think he has the game to be part of a midfield 3? Guthrie.........Tiote.........Cabaye

Thank you!!!! Love it!!!!

Judging by his 'lush and fit' pictures aye Was he p*ssed? The pricetag has destined him to fail but he barely looks like a footballer. £35m What's the name of the song on that video?

You haven't been watching Boswinga much then.

This is such bollox but i might add, in reference to the second by second analysis, i think the Everton defenders have a fair position and i wouldn't fancy Ba to have the legs on Distin frankly.

I completely admire his attitude and his willingness. He's also brave, he probably knew Walters was going to flatten him but he stuck his head in there anyway. Commendable. I don't believe he can defend much though. If as soon as a winger of the standard of Jermaine Pennant, not Nani or Valencia or Kalou/Sturridge or Lennon or Johnson but Jermaine f**king Pennant means that Jonas has to do the defending for him then i think he needs to be left out. Because of his lack of pace or acceleration, not a great tackler, not positionally fantastic, he'll take up a spot between the byline and the box with Jonas closing down the winger. If it was down to Raylor to challenge the winger then you know Colo is going to have to come across to cover when the inevitable happens. When we had Jose you knew the winger had about a 5-10% chance of getting a ball in, not now though. So, if we want to have an effective left wing we need a player at LB who can be trusted to be more than an inconvenience to an attacking player on his side.

Can't find it, where?

Looks a better version of Obertan at the minute.

How the f*ck has he 'learned quickly' btw?????

Despite his bravery i would still like to see Raylor swapped out for Santon whom i believe will just be a better footballer. That might even allow Jonas to spend some time in the oppostions half!

Thought it was Guti who dealt with Pennant tbh.

Would think about bringing on Marv for Best. Get a link between midfield and attack.

Also nice to think we have good options on the bench if we need to freshen it up in the 2nd half.

Would think as Etherington is Stoke's main threat on the flanks it might be a good idea to put Santon there.

He has a very good sense of opportunity.

If Lennon plays what's their likely team? Walker.......Kaboul.......King.......Ekotto Lennon......Modric......Sandro.....Bale ...........................VDV....................... .......................Abebayor................. If so, that looks a pretty useful line up to me. I don't rate Ekotto much though tbh. Actually, i think he can be distinctly average. Walker might also not be the best at defending. Otherwise on paper they probs have the better team if we're honest.

Is Lennon injured?

you don't need stats to know that, however i'll bet raylor stats at left back are up there with most other left backs this season and i'll wager nolan's stats were great for last year. I'm not really invested into the argument either way but the only way a machine can accurately reflect the quality of a player is through numbers, so they do have some role. Sewelly is right to be sceptical of them but i disagree that they can only be used to support a commonly held view. The stats can confirm if you're pass was successful or not and also which direction it went it. They can't tell you if there were better options, how long the player held onto the ball for and so slowed up play, etc.

On the radio this morning when asked about 'Tevez' . "every manager has this sort of problem, I've got two at the moment, I won't mention names but everyone knows who" Wonder who he can possibly be on about ? I'm not entirely comfortable with him saying that on the radio tbh.

Tbf, i think Carroll just lacked experience when he was up against Samba.

I said the same thing when we sold Carroll, all seemed rather coincidental to me but we are unlikely to ever find out. I just can't see Hughton making a fuss about anything tbh. It's not conclusive but fwiw here's a transcript from an interview Hughton gave to Keys and Gray in April. Richard Keys: “Do you think he was always going to leave in January?” Chris Hughton: “No I don’t. I think the club wanted to keep him, I think the supporters certainly wanted to keep him, and of course, the management and the management staff certainly wanted to keep him because of the quality that he is. I think that he left Newcastle for one reason, and that was the huge fee that he left there for.” Richard Keys: “So that was just too much to resist?” Chris Hughton: “I think everybody was astounded at the time at the value. I think, and hope, for the lad’s sake, and of course for Liverpool’s sake as well, that everyone will look back on it and say ‘That’s been very, very good business.” Personally i think Hughton would not have been willing to say Carroll's not for sale while the board hawk him about, then go in front of the cameras telling the fans that all the money will go back into the football club knowing full well that that's bollocks. Don't think he'd have been comfortable with that tbh.